Grain and seed separator



Feb. 23, 1937. w AQVAN DYKE GRAIN AND SEED SEPARATOR Filed July 22, 1955 Figi j 3 Sheets-Sheet vl Ilml ' KM/wm Feb. 23, 1937. lW A VAN DYKE 2,071,998

GRAIN AND SEED SEPARATOR Filed July 22, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 2 gmc/wm m., www

SHOM/w41 Feb. 23, 1937. W `A, VAN DYKE 2,071,908

GRAIN AND SEED SEPARATOR Filed July 22, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gmc/Mofo 4'35 Another object vof the invention is to provide supporting links I4 by means of the pins Illa. 35

Patented Feb. 23, 1937 l 2,071,908,

UNETED ST PTETy FFCE 2,071,908 GRAIN AND SEED sEPAnAToR William A. Van Dyke, Forest Grove, Oreg. Application July 2.2, 1935, serial No. 39,573

v 3 Claims. (c1. 209-114) y lVly invention relates to improvements in grain distribution and spreading of products on the and/or seed separators of the moving apron type, aprons.

and an important object of the invention resides Figure 3 Ais a sidefsectional elevation of a porv in improvements inthe mounting and operating tion of the products conveying means, a prod- 5 of such aprons, essentially to the means for conucts distributing means, and the means for oon- 5 trolling the inclination thereof. trolling Vthe distribution of the products together Another object of the invention is to provide with the voverflow conveyor.

an improved means for delivering and yspread- Figure 4 is` a sectional view taken on the line ing grains and/ or seeds evenly over the upper run 4-'4 looking in the direction indicated.

lo of the aprons in order'to bring about an even sep- Figure 5 is an invertedplan view of a portion 1o -aration over vthe face of the apron thereby avoid'- of the productsdistributing and spreading means. ing the danger of a partial separation of the Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional products. view of the supply chute or conveyor leading to Another object of the invention resides in the the products distributing andv spreading means, u s l5 preliminary handling of the mixed grains and/ or a portion thereof being showntogether with' the 15 seeds as such products are carried to the disoperating means for operating the elements contributingor spreading means. In this connection trolling the distribution' and spreading of prodthe invention embodies construction preventing ucts upon the aprons. l clogging or the distributing or spreading means In the drawings, Figure l indicates a rectanguandfoperating to return -tov the point of origin lar open workA frame to which is mounted by T20 products in yexcess of theV amount the spreading means of suitable spindles and bearings the rolls means is capableof handling. 2, each of whichis supplied with a bevel gear 3,

Another object of the invention is to construct the spindle or shaft for there-l1 being indicated the distributing or spreading means so that the by the numeral Il at the bottom of the multiple Vamount of products delivered thereby to the mounting ofthe rolls in Figure 2. Avertical shaft `25 aprons'inay-'at all times be regulated, the amounts 5 mounted in bearings 6 and `supplied with bevel thereof beincreased or decreased; as well as to gears I meshing with gears 3 provide means `for control the aforesaid means to accommodate it rotating the rolls 2 in unison. Meshing gears to large or smallproducts. Y and 9, pulleyI, belt II and motorl I2 provide 3'0 Another'object of the invention is to construct means for driving the shaft 5 when it is under- `30 the 'distributing means in a manner that, while stood that gear 8 lis mounted to the top thereof.

it will compel products to travel to the distribu- Mounted likewise to the spindles l are the tion or rspreading points, it will not destroy or frames or side members I3 by their one end while crushhsuch products. their opposite ends' are pivotally secured to the a means for cleaning the'aprons which will not To the end of the side members I3 which are ooninterfere with the operation of the invention. nected to the links I4 is slidably secured bearings These and other objects 'of the invention will I5 in Whichare mounted spindles at the ends be understood upon reading the specication folof the rolls I6. Over the rolls I6 and 2 is trained 40 `10Wi1g aided "DY the aCCOIIlpaIlyng drawings, an endless apron I-'I. In order to maintain the 40 wherein Y aprons in a taut condition, bearings I5 are sup- Figure 1 is an end elevation of a separating plied with a rod I8 which is constantly urged to machine. This view illustrates the means for the end of the side members I3 by means of the increasing or decreasing theinelination of the spring I9 bearing against the nut 2i! threaded aprons, a distributing member, with parts broken to such rod, the operation of which will be 45 away, for distributing products over the upper readily understoodupon examining the construcrunof the aprons. This view also illustrates the tion in Figure 2. Along the lateral edges of the vhanging of the drapers employed for cleaning the aprons and' spaced from one another are the aprons. buttons 2|, which ride in the angle guide 22, ad- 50 U0 Figure 2 is a side elevation, with parts broken justably held between slotted supporting memaway and in section,illustrating the small drapers. bers 23 mounted to the side member I3.l The This figure also illustrates the conveying means guides i22 have down turned flanges 24 against' forl conveying products to the upper run of the which the buttons 2I engage as the apron I'I aprons; also themechanism for controlling the travels over rolls 2 and I6. This prevents lateral 55 play or weaving of the belts while they are in motion.

To the upper end of the frame I is mounted a shaft 25, having rolls 26 approximate each end thereof and over each of which is trained cord or cable 21 which have their ends connected with the links |4. likewise mounted to the frame in a di-agonal manner to aiord ease for manipulation of the shaft 28 connected by a suitable worm and worm wheel concealed in the casing 29, but well known to the art, to the shaft 25. Shaft 28 is .provided with an operating handle 30 or crank. From the foregoing it will be seen that rotation of shaft 28 by means of crank 30 will rotate shaft 25 and hence rolls 26,.'which will cause the cords 21 to wind or unwind from such rolls, thus either raising or lowering the links I4 and consequently the attached ends of the side members I 3. It will thus be seen upon the Yexamination of Figure 2 that the raising or lowering of the ends of the side members I3 by the links I4 and other means just described will decrease or increase the inclination of the apron I1 as the case may be.

As indicated in the commencement hereof, this machine is intended to separate grains and seeds. For instance, it may be employed for separating sound and unsound beans; or for'` separating mixed grains and seeds as for instance peas and oats. In order to avoid too much detail, the description of the operation of the machine will be limited to the separating of oats and peas, though it is to be understood that the machine is not limited to those two products. j

In operation the aprons I1 are caused to travel by the means heretofore described. The mixed oats and peas are spread upon the upper run of the apron. Owing to the inclination of the aprons, the peas will roll into the lower end of the apron where they will drop off and be collected by suitable means. However, the oat grains will not roll, but will have atendency to cling to the apron and are carried to the upper end of the apron where they drop off into suitable collecting means. Hence, it will be seen that the peas are collected on one side of the machine while the oats are collected on the other, each separate from the other. In order that there'may be a perfect separation of the two products, however, it is necessary that they be spread more or less evenly upon the upper run of the aprons. In this connection I have provided a new and improved means for spreading or conveying the mixed products to the upper run of the aprons, which will now be described. At one end of the machine is attached a supply chute 3| in a manner that it may be raised and lowered with the side member I3 while at the other end of the machine likewise connected to the side member I3 on that side of the machine is an overflow chute 32. Chute 3| telescopes about a stationary chute 33 which in turn is supplied by the hopper 34 into which the mixed products are fed. Extending between chutes 3| and 32 and over the upper run of each apron is a spreader or distributor member 35 which in this instance partakes the form of a tube or pipe, the under side of which is perforated by alternately large and small holes 36 and 31. Sliding in guides 38 is a gate member 39 provided with spaced openings 40. Member 39 is slidable back and forth in the guides to a position whereby the opening 40 may be in register with the opening 36 or 31, or out of register with either of the openings. The openings 36 and 31 are spaced over the upper run of the aprons I1, so it will be seen that if products are carried to the interior of the member 35 they will drop through one or the other of the openings 36 or 31 according to which one thereof the opening 4U has brought into register. As opening 40 registers with opening 31 the amount of products discharged upon the apron will be less than were the opening 4D to register with opening 36, which is larger than opening 31. Operating freely within the member 35 is a spiralscrew conveyor 4I which has an end shaft 42 penetrating chute 32 and resting in bearing 43. The outer end of shaft 42 is provided with a sprocket, over which is trained a chain 44 trained over a sprocket upon a shaft 4. When shaft 4 is rotated, rotation is extended to shaft 42 and consequently to the conveyor 4I, thus carrying products from the chute 3|, into which the member 35 opens, through the member 35 to discharge through the openings 36 or 31 upon the apron I1. In the event that the rate of discharge of the products from the member 35 is less than the amount `received from the chute 3|, the excess amount is carried to chute 32 where it is taken care of by any suitable means. such as returning it to the hopper 34.

One end of the gate or blade 39 has a rod extension 45. All the rods 45 are adjustably connected by the nuts 46 threaded thereon to the angle member 41 so that when member 41 is moved to or from the chute 3|, the gates 39 are operated in unison moving opening 40 of each gate into or out of register with the openings 36 and 31 in members 35. Means are provided for operating the lbar or rod 41 consisting of a shaft 48 mounted in bearings 49 and operated by lever 50. Secured to the shaft 48 are a number of arms 5| which have a sliding yoke end 52 engaging eachside of the member 41. When lever 50 is operated, shaft 48 is likewise rocked, causing the arms 5I to also rockin one direction or the other. This, by reason of the yoke 52 will cause the member 41 to move in one direction or another and cause the gates 39 to move in a like manner by reason of their connection thereto.

Experience has shown that in operation aprons of the general type of laprons I1 have a tendency to `collect dust and particles of seeds and grains. This to a great extent hampers normal operation of such aprons. With the view of overcoming this objectional feature, I have provided means in the present invention for reducing the collection of dirt and particles by the ap-rons to a substantial extent. This cleaning means consists of a number of flexible curtains 53 extending from rods 54 mounted upon the guides 22. 'I'hese curtains loosely engage the lower ends of the aprons I 1 causing the matter collected thereon tol drop off; at the same time the engagement does not prohibit seeds or grains from dropping over the lower end of such curtains. In connection with the curtains 53 I employ a large curtain 55 mounted from the top of the machine to the bottom thereof and covering the smaller curtains 53. The engagement of curtain 55 is not suii'icient to prohibit the operation of separating the seeds or grain, but is sufcient to aid very materially in loosening and preventing the collection of dust and dirt upon the aprons 1.

The guide 22, an angle member, has its down turned flange portion 22a continued and turned inwardly toward the center of the apron I1. This construction allows the buttons 2| to readily enter the interior of the guide 22, at the same time the curved portion 22a prevents seeds or grains from entering within the guide and becoming clogged therein.

The screw conveyor 4| rests more or less freely within the member 35 providing a little play between it and the interior walls of such member 35. By disposing member 4i not entirely rigidly within member 35, the danger of cracking or breaking grains or seeds, which would occur were member il rigidly mounted, is entirely avoided.

In operation, as will be noted, the aprons Il are operated in multiple, that is to say, one above the other. A separate distributing means or member 35 is provided over each apron. The products to be separated are placed in the hopper St traveling down the chute 3| through the members 35 and into such members by means of the screw conveyors 4 I the surplus going to the chute 32. The large or small opening, 36 or 31, is

' opened as the case may require allowing products to fall on the upper run of the apron l1 Where portions travel to the lower end and the remainder to the upper end as heretofore described. The inclination of the apron may be increased or decreased by manipulation of the crank 3B, which through the medium of the shafts 28 and 25 and rolls 26 raises and lowers one end of such aprons. `While a specic form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is 'desired to be understood that the same may be varied within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from the spirit of the invention. y Having described my invention, I claim:-

l. In a separating machine of the class specied, an apron, a tubular member mounted thereabove, a supply chute connected at one open end thereof, an overflow chute connected at the other end thereof, a spiral conveyor operating therein, the bottom of said tubular member being provided With a number of large and small alternating apertures, `and a slide in conjunction with said tubular member provided with apertures slidable into register with the large or small apertures in the tubular member.

. 2. In a separating machine of the class described, a plurality of superposed aprons, means kfor increasing and decreasing the inclination thereof, means for spreading products to be separated over the upper run of each apron comprising a hollow member extending transversely of an apron and spaced thereabove, means for conducting products to one end thereof, means for conducting an overilow of products from the other end thereof, openings inthe bottom thereof and alternate openings being larger than the remaining openings, a bar slidably mounted beneath the hollow member provided with openings registerable with the larger openings or the smaller openings in the hollow member and further movable to a position where the bar obstructs all openings, and means for operating all bars simultaneously.

3. In a separating machine of the class specii'led, a plurality of superposed aprons, a distributing member above each apron having perforatons for the passage of products to the upper run of the apron, means for conducting products thro-ugh said member from end to end and to the perforations and means for uncovering and covering the perforations comprising a gate in slidable association with said member, said gate having projecting rods, a member connected to all said rods, a shaft, a lever for operating said shaft, and arms mounted to said shaft and provided With yokes engaging the last mentioned member whereby when said shaft is rocked, said yokes carry said member back and forth.

WILLIAM A. VAN DYKE. 

